FFXI The Unberthing
by Zeke-Star-Outlaw
Summary: Will Duze find out who he is and where he belongs in time to save Vana'diel from the god of the beastmen or will it distroy him.please R&R.
1. another world

All the charecter names used in this story are friends and have given permission to use them, but Duze, Duzie, and Zanza are my charecters. when i wrote this story I did not get that far in the missions to continue the story. So most of the events are corecnadental. please read and review this is my second fanfic but first FFXI fanfic. Enjoy.

Outside the military correctional facility of Levanworth. A shadow moves like it's not even there. On the closest watch tower, a sensor went off, at that moment Max's cloaking device shutdown. "Oh sh... not now." Max said looking for cover before the light had spotted him. He looked over near a bush and noticed an old storm drain right behind it.

"There you are." he said as he ran towards it and slipped right in without being noticed. He took off his mask to let his silvery white hair fall free. "I hate having long hair with this blasted mask it's too uncomftable." he said as he looked at his wriest display. "She's this way. I hate these stupid tunnels, but I gotta hurry." he said to himself as he starts running towards an unknown position. A hundred meters into the tunnels he noticed a room with seven other tunnels that branched off of it. "Oh great. This information isn't in here." he said in disbielf as he searched the throught the files on his wriest display. As he did this a cloaked figure ran into him. "What the .. I thought I had a longer time before they..." he trailed off seeing who ran into him.

The figure that ran into him sat up and took her hood off. "I never expected to run into anyone down here." she said as Max helped her to her feet.

"What are you doing down here? You can get yourself killed." max said still amazed to see a mithra.

"Who are you?" she asked him as she checked to see if she had dropped anything.

"The name's Max, and you?" he said as he went back to searching the files again.

"Zanza, Royal bodyguard to the princess of Jeuno. She is said to of been trapped in this world with her brother." she said as she looked at the elveen that she had ran into.

"What do you mean this world and a bodyguard with a sword. That's a little hard to believe. And why would a princess be anywhere around this place?" he said in disbelief. He started down one of the seven tunnel that was displayed by his wriest display.

"If you find it hard to believe thats your opinion but I got a job to do." she said as she put her hood back up. "So what are you doing down here?" Zanza had asked him as she caught up to him.

"Trying to get in. They wont let men in here at all, so i gotta gothis way." he said as he takes glances at his display every now and then to make sure that he's going the right direction.

"But that didn't answer my question." she said as her ears perked underneth her hood.

"Well the reason for that is. Thats my buisness." he said as they got to a dead end. "Damn. Why is it giving me false info?" he asked himself as he looked at his display again.

"It my be your business but I might be able to help you If you can help me." she said as she looked around.

"Ok. The reason I'm here is that my sister is in that building up there. Not working, but a prisoner." he said as he kept searching the files.

"Wait a sec you look familier to me, but your not him." she said as she took a really good look at his face.

"Who?" he asked curiously.

"A person who gave up his birth right to be with me but you dont act like him any way." she said still looking to see if there was something he missed.

"So where ever your from you left someone to do your job." he said still looking through the files.

"Not really he was taken from me. Just like his sister was." she said as she turned toward him.

At that moment she saw a light and ran to him pushing him towards a wall.

"What the..." he said as he turned to see her hit with a stun ray. "Shit." he said ashe ran to grab her, but before he could get to her he was than hit with it.

Awhile later she woke up in one of the prison cells. She looks around the cell to see a elveen woman with silvery white hair sitting up sleeping on the bunk across from her.

"Max?" she said looking around. The woman on the other bunk woke up and looked at her new cellmate.

"You said Max. Did you meet my brother somewhere?" she asked Zanza.

"Yeah, In the sewers." she said looking back at the woman."You're his sister are'nt you."

"Was he on his way to get here?" she asked her.

"Yeah, but I was captured and I don't know what happened to him." she told her as she strecthed.

"They probably threw him out again." she said as she put her back on the wall.

"Why would they throw him out? If he was trying to get in wouldn't they just throw him into a cell?" she asked.

"Nope this is an all female prison. No men allowed period." she said wondering how many times Max will have to try before getting her out.

"Zanza Where are you?" Max said as Zanza jumped and grabed at her left ear.

"What happened?" the woman said to Zanza.

"I heard Max's voice, but it sounded like it was in my head." she said rubbing her ear.

"Let me Take a look at your ear. He might of put a listening device in your ear." she said as she got up and walked over to her. "Ah yep he did." she said as she gently took it out of Zanza's ear. "Max you there?" his sister said into the device as Zanza was still rubbing her ear.

"Duzie is that you?" he said.

"Yeah you sort of startled your friend here." she said as she looked a Zanza. "But where are you?" she asked as Zanza looked intentively at the device.

"I'm in a ventalation duct, somewhere near the entrance of the prison." he said.

"At least you finally made it into the building this time. but how did you get there after they threw you out?" she asked.

"I got my cloaking device to stay on after they threw me out I turned it on and followed the probe back to where it came and found that they still had Zanza and planted this in her ear and followed them inside but my cloak died again and had to find a place to hide." he explained.

"You know that hurt when you called Max." Zanza said.

"Sorry didn't know your ears were that sensitive." he said trying to appoligize. "But where are you two at?" he asked.

"Cell block A sector 4 cell 24. Where are you?" his sister told him.

"Near the main security room."he said.

"That's not too far." She said when suddenly they heard Max yell.

"What the..." then it cut off.

"Max whats wrong? Are you ok? Answer me." his sister said getting no reply.

Zanza looked at her and said,"I know whats going on. The beastmen have arrived." she said a little worried.

"What the hell are beastmen?" Duzie asked sounding very worried.

"They are creatures that have come from my world to kill you." she told her as she stood up and examined the door.

"Me? why me?" she asked her as she stood up.

"Don't get me wrong when I say that I'm just guessing when I said that but I could be wrong." she told Duzie. "So lets not be here if you right or wrong." she said as she walked up to the door.

"But we have to be here either way because the door is impossible to open without a key or something." she said as she looked around.

"That won't be a problem for me." Zanza said as she punched the door as hard as she could and threw it across the pit.

Duzie looked over to what Zanza had done.

"Don't ask lets get moving." Zanza told her as she looked out to make sure it was clear.

Meanwhile a green hand had came through the ventalation walland grabbed Max and pulled him out into the security room that was now filled with orcs, gobs, and birdmen.

"Ah the fearless Duze. The boss will be pleased to hear that we killed you." a squaky voice of one of the birdmen said as the orc that pulled him out dropped him.

"I'm afraid you have the wrong guy. I'm Max not this Duze you speak of." he said as he looked around to find the sword that Zanza was carrying earlier was sitting in a corner not that far from him.

"On the conterary you are your smell tells me so." the birdmen said as he started towards him.

"Sorry to say but thats the sewer you smell." he said as he made a run for the sword.

He grabbed it and stood to swing it cutting a birdmen in half. Which left him with only one birdmen, five gobs and three orcs.

"Who's next?" he asked them as they looked at other and ran into the hallway leading to the main prison door. "No you don't." he said as he chased after them killing another one on the way out the door.

Back in the cell area Zanza and Duzie were making thier way towards Max when a small group of gobs turned a corner.

"We have no weapons we gotta run Zanza." she said as she turned and heard bodys hit the ground. She turned back around to see Zanza takeing care of the last gob in the group.

"Who needs weapons when you always carry your hands with you." she told her as they continued and took care of more and more gobs on the way.

They finally reached the main door that was near the security room when they were greeted by a squad of goblin archers.

On the other side of the door Max was fighting his way through when he reliezed that there was a quicker way to defeat his enemies. He backed away to give himself some room and raised the sword and concentrated. A moment later. "Burning Blade." he yelled as he charged them as the blade caught fire and cut through all but two orcs.

The orcs looked at what he had done and than each other. They dropped thier weapons and ran through the door behind them killing all the gobs that were behind it.

He started through chasing them when as soon as he got through the door he saw Zanza and Duzie. He walked towards them when he noticed why Duzie was holding Zanza. He ran to her side to see an arrow pertruding from her chest.

"Don't worry Max. Get your sister out of here before more come." she said trying not to cough.

"No. You still got to find the princess that you were looking for." he said as he examined her injury.

"I already did she is right here. She helped me get here. HMPH." she said as he removed the arrow from her chest.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he put pressure on her wound.

"Your sister. She is the one I was looking for." she said as she fell unconcious.

"What do you mean? Don't die." he shouted when his sister grabbed his arm.

"She told me as we were on our way up here, That I was the princess and that niether of us are from this world." she told him.

Not paying any attention to her he stood up and started to cast a spell. Duzie looking with amazement watched as a light started to grow around Max. "Raise and keep your life." he said as completed the spell.

Before either of them could say anything Zanza started to breath again and Max went to her side.

"Didn't realize your remembered your feelings Duze." she said as she looked at him.

Tears started to swell in his eyes andhe just huged her.

At that moment a bright light started to over come the place and they started to fall. Lossing grip of Zanza he tryed to grab her hand when everything went white.

He woke up and sat straight up in a cold sweat. He then heard a familier voice coming from out side his window. "Hey Duze wake up."

Duze got out of bed and walked over to the window to see Haunter waving at him. "I'll be down in a moment." he said as he went to get dressed.


	2. What happened? Is this love?

Sitting on the edge of the fountain in front of the chatue, Duze loks at his sword and examines the blade. He sees and stares at the name on the blade.

"Zanza, Where have I heard that name?" he whispers to himself wondering who the name belongs to and how he knows them. "My be it was a gift or something." he thought.

"Dude, Lets go we can't have you sitting there stareing at that sword again." Rainne said suddenly.

"Oh sorry, got lost in thought." he said as he stood up.

"Yeah. So where did that beutiful elveen girl go to? The one you use to hang out with." Python asked as they walked towards the southeast gate of San O'doria.

"Who do you mean? I don't remember hanging out with an elveen women." he stated.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. After you came back after being gone for five years you barely remembered us." Python said with a slight chuckle.

"QUIT REMINDING HIM PYTHON. We got a mission to do." Haunter said yelling at him.

"Thanks." Duze said with appreciation for his friend. "So whats the mission?" he asked.

"Grave robbers at the tomb. They need us to investigate it." Haunter said.

"Hey stop her." shouted a galka chaseing a red haired mithra. She ran into Duze head on.

"Hey watch where your..." he said as he trailed off and started to stare at the beutiful women.

Turning in midstride. "Sorry about that." she said while waving at him.

He waved back at her still stareing at her while she disappeared around the corner.

"Man beutiful women will be the death of you someday." Rainne said jealously.

"Well at least I'll be happy when I die." Duze said as he turned to see a chargeing galka.

Then he ran into Duze sending him flying. When he had hit the ground he heard the man shout.

"Stop that girl. I'm gonna kill that cat, even if it's the last thing I do." Duze got up and brushed himself off.

"Duze, If he's talking about the women that ran into you, we got to do something." Haunter and Python said in unison.

"Don't worry, no one throws me except orcs, even they have problems. Wait for me at the gate. I'll take care of this." Duze said as he started running towards the dirction that the galka went.

"What about the mission?" Rainne shouted. Looking over his shoulder.

"I'll meet you there, when I'm done with this." he shouted back.

About five minutes later he arrives at the south auction house.

"Where is he?" Duze asked himself as he looking around. He keeps looking aroud for a while when he finally spotted him on the top level of the auction house when he started to run again.

"Hey stop." he shouted at the galka. he didn't listen and kept running. "Fine then." Duze said as he stopped. "Bind." he said as he cast a spell that stopped him in his tracks.

"What the.. Who did this?" the galka said trying to look around.

"I did." Duze said as he walked up to him. "Now why and who are you chaseing after?" he asked him.

"That mithra that ran into you." he grunted. "She dishonored me." Duze gave him a look of disbelief.

"How did she dishonor you?" he asked.

"She saved my life. So now to get my honor back take her life." he said as he started to break free from Duze's spell.

"That is no way to reclaim your honor, and by the sound of it you should be thankful." Duze said trying to calm him.

"Nothing you say or do will stop me from killing her." he said as he became completely free of the spell. He pusshed his passed Duze and started to head the direction the women had went.

"Poison." Duze cast another spell to slow the galka down to give him some time to reach the women to see if he could help.

The galka once again stopped but this time he turned to see duze but he had disappeared. He felt someone tap on his shoulder and turned to see who it was and instead of saying anything he had puked all over the head priest, who had overheard his conversation with Duze.

When Duze saw this he started to laugh, but he turned to see the red haired women run into the passage way that went to the top of the wall. He started to run to catch up with her. Stopping near the top to catch her breath, a sense of safety had came over her.

"Hello." She had jumped hearing this even though no one was there. Duze became visible right in front of her. "Sorry about that." Duze said as he scratched the back of his head. "I took care of that galka that was chaseing you." he said.\

"You didn't kill him did you?" she asked out of concern for her persuer.

"No, He'll live the poison is only temperary. He'll just be sick for a bit. That and the head priest heard of what he was going to do to you, so he'll be confined for a while." Duze explained to her.

"Oh, thank you and sorry for running into you earlier." she said thankfully while bowing apoligeticly.

"Don't worry it didn't hurt. By the way what is your name?" Duze asked eagerly.

"I'm Zanza Soyu of the federation of windurst..."

"And the royal bodygaurd of th princess of the country of Jeuno, am I right." he said as he finished her sentance.

"Yeah, but how did you know all that?" she asked cautiosly.

"I don't know, It seems that we had met before somwhere." he said as he turned from her, and sat on a step.

"I don't think so but may be." she said as she sat down next to him.

"A year ago I had returned from something, but I have no memory from what I had returned from, and ever since then I had these dreams with a person like you and another in it." he told her as he pulled out his sword to examine it again.

She looked at the blade and saw the name that was on it. "I vaguely remember giving a sword like that to a dear friend but I can't remember who or where." she said to him as she looked at him feeling that she should know him somehow.

"I don't know either when I came back I had this sword with me, but don't know how I got it." he said as he looked at her feeling he should remember her as well.

"There might be a way to get our memories back." she said still looking at him.

"Yeah how?" he asked as he to was still looking at her.

"I was supose to meet a friend at the king's tomb before I ran into that man." she said as they started to draw closer to each other.

"My friends and I are going there for a mission." he said as they kept drawing closer as to kiss each other but before they did they heard a familier voice.

"There you are?" the galka said as he came towards them.

They both snapped back into reality.

"Shit. How do we get out of here? Thats the only way out." she said as she stood up with Duze.

"This way." he said as he grabed her arm and pulled her towards the top. They stopped and looked around. "Do you trust me?" he asked her as the galka was getting closer.

"What?" she said as she watched the galka advance.

"Do you trust me?" he had repeated.

"There is no where to go and its payback for what you two have done to me." the galka said.

"What are you planing Duze?" she asked as they are forced to back up due to the galka.

"Don't worry." he said as he grabed her holding her tight and ran at the galka.

"What the hell? Are you crazy?" she shouted in his ear.

But before the galka could hit them Duze had jumped and used him to push off to launch them over the side of the wall.

"Are you really insane Duze, This is suicide." she yelled.

"Nope just hoping the Galka thinks it is." he said as he rolled in midair to prepare to hit the ground.

The galka ran to the edge and watched as they fell. Duze loosened his hold on Zanza to let her push away to roll when they hit the ground. She had lost her abilty to control how she landed and hit the ground hard and fractured her leg.

"Zanza!" Duze said as he hit the ground and rolled with no injury. He ran to her while she was holding her leg. "Don't move. I'll carry you." he said as he picked her up. He looked at where they had left the galka when he noticed that he to had jumped. "I think it's time to go." he said as he carried her out the gate.

Rainne, Python, and Haunter were about five miles from the southeast gate when they heard Duze's voice over the link pearl. Rainne grabbed his pearl.

"Hey Duze what's taking so long? were almost to the tomb." he said.

"Sorry but I'm on my way with Zanza." Duze replied.

"What? The women that ran into you?" Rainne asked as everyone stopped.

"Yeah she's coming with us." he said.

"Don't tell me your dating her to. Right?" Rainne said jealously as Haunter than hit him.

"She's injuried and we have that galka chasing us. So prepare for company." Duze said as they heard the galka shouting.

"How far are you two?" Haunter asked as Rainne was holding the top ofhis head.

"About three miles south of the gate." he said still running.

"We're at the ruins just outside of the tomb's entrance. So hurry before more gobs arrive." Haunter told him as they when behind a wall.

"Ok will do." he said.

About 15 minutes later they get to where Haunter said he was at but they saw no one. From behind the wall Haunter waved them over to where they had hide. He carried her be hind the wall when they saw Rainne crying to himself.

"What's wrong." Zanza asked looking at Rainne.

"Why is it that everyone else has a girlfriend and I don't?" he said before Haunter hit him again.

"He's just jealous because he thought you and Duze are in love." he told her.

"Me and him?" she asked with a slight blush to both her's and Duze's faces.

"We'll have to get moving before he gets here." Duze said trying to get them off the subject. He looked over the wall to see if the coast was clear.

"Anyone out there?" Haunter asked him.

"Just a small group of gobs doesn't look like they know we are even here." he answered as he ducked behind it again.

"Thats good. I think these walls go all the way to the tombs entrance so we can use them for cover as we get there." Python said as he looked at the wall and followed it. Duze picked Zanza up again and followed the wall keeping himself from being seen by the gobs.

A couple minutes later a section of the wall calapsed in front of Duze and Zanza. comeing through the calapsed section was the galka.

"Not again." Zanza said as he looked at them paying no attention to the others that were behind him.

"I got you this time." the galka said.

"Haunter take Zanza and get to the tomb I'll slow him down." he said as he used part of the wall to jump above the galka to throw her to him. Haunter caught her to keep her injury from getting worse.

"Duze you can't stop him by yourself." she said with worry in her voice.

"Don't worry I just need to give you guys a head start. now go." he said as he drew his sword.

"So you believe that you can slow Daemeon the beastman god. Lets see." he told Duze as his sword appeared out of nowhere.

"Duze run." Zanza shouted.

"He's right we need to get to the tomb, we can take up shelter there and put up a barrier to keep him from getting in." Haunter said as they started to run towards the tomb.

"Your friends won't make it there the local gobs and orcs are waiting there for them." Daemeon said as he swung his sword.

"Trust me they will make it and defeat anything that stands in thier way." Duze said as he blocked with his sword and countered.

"While I'm alive they undefeatable." he said as attacked again.

"What you don't know Duze is that gods can't die. But if they interfer with mortal's lives they loose thier power and then will die." he explained to Duze.

"So like I give a care how gods can die." he said as he parried the attack.

"But you should care you are a god yourself same as your sister." he said trying to make an opening in his defenses.

"No way I'm a god. I wouldn't be here living if I was." he said trying to keep his composer. "Even than I don't have a sister." he said finding an opening in Daemeon's defenses and attacked.

The blow hit him and he acted like it did nothing.

"I told you you can't slow me, and when I find your sister she will die, and my coming will not be interrupted." he said as he disappeared.

"Could my dreams be memories? Maybe but I won't find out just standing around here." he told himself as he started to run towards the tomb.

Meanwhile near the tomb everyone was trying to clear a way to get into the tomb.

"I hope Duze is Ok." Zanza said as she watched the fighting when suddenly she saw another mithra appear out of nowhere and cast a spell.

"Earthquake." and the ground trembled and swallowed the beastman that were blocking thier way into the tomb.

"Death. Thanks for the help but we need to get into the tomb quick." Zanza told her friend.

"I know Daemeon is back follow me." Agodlessdeath told them as she walked into the tombs entrance. Everyone looked at each other and followed.

Ten minutes later they see Duze running towards them. Then they see what he is running from a black dragon.

"Hurry put up a barrier." he said as he ran into the tombs entrance and turned. Death, and Rainne stood on each side of him and they all started to cast a spell.

"Barrier." they said in unison.

At that moment a barrier had sealed the entrance and the dragon ran into it.

"What ever Daemeon told you Duze it's true." Death told him.

"I don't believe him, but we gotta job to do." he said as he picked up Zanza and started to move further into the tomb.

"What he tell you Duze I want to know." she asked him.

"It's nothing. He was trying to distract me when we were fighting." he told her not want to believe any of it.

"So what did he tell him Death?" Rainne asked as they kept a distance from the others.

"He told him what he is, and who he was going to kill his sister." she whispered to him.

"Ah even I'm not sure that he is ready to know what he is nor the prophacy." Rainne told her.

"But they came here for answers. They have the right to know thier past together." she told him as she watched as Duze set Zanza down to treat her injured leg.

"You see how they act around eachother. Its like they are unsure about thier feelings." she told him.

"Yes, I felt that but if they knew thier destany maybe it won't happen." he said trying to protect Duze and Zanza.

"Because with them knowing thier destany, and what he is won't it drive them apart?" he asked her.

"True but they at last need to know their past." she told him.

"Ok we need to tell them when we get to the center where it's safe." he said in agreement.

"Zanza are you ok? Zanza." Duze said as she fell unconcious and started to fade.

They looked at each other.

"The princess is in danger and called for her." Death said as they ran to thier side.

"What's going on I feel light headed all of a sudden." Duze said as he calapsed and fell unconcious.

"Go to her she needs you more than you know." death whispered as she kneeled next to him and watched him fade as well.

"Ok what the hell is going on? Where did they go?" Haunter asked.

"They went to find the answers they seek." Death told him.

"We gotta help them. We need to go with them we're his friends." Python said.

"Where They went we can not follow. It is something that they have to do on thier own." Rainne told them.

"What you knew all along how to get his memory back and didn't tell him. He's your friend." Haunter said in anger.

"Don't worry they will be back." Death said as she stepped towards him.

"Sleep." she said as she cast a spell to put them to sleep.


	3. Not this again

"Not again." Duze said as he looked around to find himself back in the prison.

"This is only a dream." he said to himself as a group of beastmen turned to face him.

A gobby came from behind and hit him with a club.

"Ouch, why you little..." he said as he touched the spot that it hit. "Ok this isn't a dream. Who wants it first?" he said as the gobby went to join the others.

They roared in response to his challenge and charged. He unsethed his sword and met the first of them killing it instantly. He started parring and countering attacks from every direction.

Meanwhile Zanza met up with Duzie.

"What is this place?" she asked her. "A prison." Duzie told her.

"I know that but where? I've never seen one like it." she said as she looked around.

"We have. This is the second time you've been here with Duze." she told her as she looked around a corner to see if it was clear.

"What I thought it was a dream." Zanza said as she looked behind her.

"Well it's not so lets get out of here." see said as she moved towards the passage way leading to the main entrance.

When they arrived at the door just outside securety they were greeted by goblin archers and Deameon.

"Well it's been a long time Duzie." he said as he started towards them.

"Who are you?" she asked not knowing how he knew her name.

"He's Deameon." Zanza said as she moved between him and Duzie.

"Well well, why isn't it Zanza. You have interferred for the last time." he said as he drew his sword.

"Your not harming anyone if I can help it." she said as she readied herself to fight.

"Well so be it." he said as he started at her.

Duze had killed all but one of the beastmen, they stood there stareing at eachother waiting for the other to make the first move. The orc gripped it's axe tighter in it's hands and Duze did the same with his sword.

"Let's do this." he said as the orc charged. "Fast Cut." he said as he hit the orc with such speed it didn't know what hit it.

It went flying through the door behind it and killed everything that was behind it. He ran through the doorway to find Deameon and Zanza fighting.

"Well the whole gang is here. It's time I end this quick." Deameon said as he grabbed the tired Zanza by the throut.

"I really want you to watch this Duze." he said as he stuck his sword into her gut and pulled it out throwing her to the floor.

"Nooo. You will pay Deameon." Duze said as he jumped over the railing and attacked him.

"Bind." he said as Duze froze in his tracks.

"Your turn will come, so don't get to hasty." he said as he turned towards Duzie.

"You will answer to me Deameon, Esuna." he said as he cast the spell and freed himself from the bind.

"So be it." Deameon said as turned to block an attack.

Duzie went over to Zanza and proped her up to take a better look at her wound.

"Duze get over here. Zanza needs your help." She yelled at her brother.

"Fast Cut." he said as he hit Deameon full force throwing him back as he blocked it.

"What were you expecting to do kill me? As you see I am faster than anything in exsistance." he said as he picked himself up off the steps.

"No, this." he said as he started to cast a spell with no words.

"You will die Duze it is inevetable." he said as he swung at him cutting the air and slashing Duze's chest.

"Barrier." he finally said as a barrier appeared and threw Deameon back again. "How is she?" He asked as he ran to them.

"Not good, I haven't got her to wake up." she told him.

"Not again, you will not die on me again." he said as he stood up. "Raise." he said as he cast the spell takeing her from death's door.

The room started to go white as it had done before.

"Not again." he said as he ran to Zanza and held onto her tightly not letting go.

His sister tryed to grab for them but didn't get to them in time before they disappeared.


	4. Happy Birthday Duze?

Five years later in Bastok mines Duze is working with the other miners to get the day's qauta met when Foris walked up to him.

"Your late again Duze." he said as he put his hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry, My wife came to see what's takeing me so long again?" he asked his friend.

"Yeah, Everyone left hours ago." he told him.

"What keeps you here Duze?" he asked worried if his friend is alright.

"It's nothing. Just something keeps bothering me about what happened five years ago." he said as he put his pick away.

"Oh. It's none of my business, but lets get out before the bats wake up." he said as he started toward the entrance.

Duze followed him back to the entrance where his wife was waiting for him.

"The dream again?" Zanza asked him as she walked up to him with a young mithra girl.

"Yeah, hi Yoko." he said as he picked her up.

"What took you so long daddy?" she asked him.

"I'll tell you when your old enough." he told her as he kissed her forehead.

"How was your day?" he asked Zanza they started home.

"Not to bad but that dream keeps bothering me. Maybe you need to relax Duze, take your mind off of it." she told him.

"We made you a cake daddy." yoko told her father.

"A cake? What kind?" he asked her as he tickled her.

"It's a surprise." Zanza told him with a smile.

"Oh a surprise." He said as he looked at yoko.

"Maybe the tickle monster will find out." he said as he chased her trying to tickle his wife. They laughed the rest of the way home.

When Duze walked in and lite a candle all his friends jumped out of hiding.

"SURPRISE." they shouted.

He stepped back in surprise.

"You put them up to this didn't you." he said to Yoko. She shook her head and pointed at her mother.

"So it was mommy." he said as he let her down. "You remembered." he said as he hugged his wife.

"You know I never forget your birthday." she said before she kissed him on the cheek.

Warpig came up to Duze with a present.

"Happy birthday Duze. What does this make you? A hundred." he said with a laugh.

"No. Twentyfive." he said as he took the gift with a laugh. Foris was hiding with the food as Duze walked up to him.

"Always thinking with your stomach aren't you Foris?" he asked his friend.

"When your wife makes it, it makes me not wantto go home." he said still eyeing the food.

Duze looked at her as she was talking with friends.

"Yeah, but do you think if what ever happened five years ago didn't happen we would be here having this much fun?" he asked him as he leaned up against the wall.

"Dunno, maybe maybe not. Who knows? I'm glad it did." he said as he started grabing food to fill his plate.

About four hours later the party died down and everyone started to leave to go home. Duze thanked everyone for coming as they left. Later that night someone knocked at the door.

"Well I woder who that is?" Zanza said as she was about to move a sleeping Yoko off her lap when Duze put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get it. She needs her sleep." he said as he went to the door. Zanza got up and carried Yoko to her room and tucked her into bed and went to the door.

"Hello Duze." a galka said as Duze opened the door.

"Hi, what brings you here?" he asked him.

"Not much just wanted to wish you a happy birthday." the man said with a sad look on his face.

"I know that face. So waht's up?" he asked him as he let him in the house.

"The Mayor asked me to find someone to go get a mist lizard, but I didn't know if anyone would be up to ask." he said as he sat down in a chair.

"So you came to ask if I could do this." he said as he sat in another chair opposet him.

"Well yes and no. He said that the offering for the turtamen outside the city had gone missing, and we need a new one." he said as he rubbed his hands together.

"You wanted to know if I would do it but you don't want me to leave my family on my birthday. Right." he said as Zanza brought him some tea.

"You could do it Duze. It might get your mind off the dream you've been having." she told him as she sat next to him.

"Maybe. When do I have to leave?" he asked the man.

"As soon as possible. We need it by tommarow night." He said.

"Ok, I'll leave as soon as I get my things ready." he told him as he shook his hand and lead him out the house.

"I thank you very much and be careful out there." he said as he started to leave.

"Will do." Duze said as he closed the door.

"Well you haven't use it in a while but here is your sword and these." Zanza said as she held up a string of link pearls.

"I'll call Foris if anything happens while I'm out." he said as he straped on his sword and put the linkpearls around his neck.

"Ok I'll be waiting when you return so don't get lost or anything." she said as she hugged him. He started for the door when Zanza handed him a couple tickets."These should help." she said as she hugged him again.

"Don't worry I'll be back in no time." He said as he started for the chocobo station.

A couple of hours after he had gotten a chocobo and started towards North Gustaburg one of the pearls started to glow. Wondering which pearl it was has talked into it.

"Hello anyone there?" he asked hoping for a response.

'Hello is that you Duze?' a person said from the other end.

"This is Duze, but who are you?" he asked as his chocobo caried him further.

'This is Haunter don't you remember. You disappeared five years ago.' Haunter said.

"What happened five years ago?" he asked.

'Not sure but we gotta talk about Deameon, he's been looking for you.' he told him.

"Where are you at?" Duze asked him.

'Over near the Dem Crag. Why?' Haunter asked.

"I'm on my way there now, we can talk when I get there." He said as he got the chocobo to move faster.

'We'll be waiting.' Haunter told him as he got off the pearl.


End file.
